Monday, March 25, 2013

It’s 7:36 a.m., and I’m trudging through the winter weather to grab breakfast in the Lane Student Center. On the chapel lawn, I squint through the wind to see a girl wrapped in a blanket, standing alone over a small smoking fire pit. In her hands she holds a crooked sign with two words painted in white over black: END IT.

At this early hour, she’s the only one standing. In an hour or two, however, more will join her. The numbers vary with the time, but over the course of 27 hours there will always be someone standing there representing this message. As my fellow students and I go about our busy days, we will pass this makeshift gathering place, looking at the students at the fire with a mixture of confusion and awe. A lot of us know they’re standing for freedom, but we don’t really understand why they have braved the cold at all hours of night and day. The story those students tell shows their determination to fight for a cause in the midst of the college life routine.

Stand for Freedom, part of the END IT Movement and the International Justice Mission, is an initiative on college campuses across the country to raise awareness about global slavery. Students stand for a period of 27 hours, representing the 27 million slaves in the world today—more than at any other time in the history of the world.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Conversations flowed and affable waiters circled with their
delicious delicacies as the Alumni Office hosted a networking event at the
Boston Marriot Long Wharf. Over 40 alumni connected with 30 current students
seeking job opportunities and advice. The March 21 event included a panel
discussion and gave students an opportunity to connect with professionals in
their desired field of work.

Engineers, sales managers, insurance brokers, consultants,
lawyers, physician’s assistants, program coordinators and entrepreneurs were
among the Gordon graduates who attended, and they all were looking to offer
opportunities to students in whose shoes they once stood.

After about 45 minutes of networking the group gathered for
the panel discussion. The speakers were Gordon grads from a variety of fields:
social worker Kayla Peck ’11, attorney Abigail Baird ’03, financial services
professional Peter Holt ’06 and recruiting professional Greg Karr ’93. They
answered questions about their transition out of Gordon life, the pros of a Gordon degree and the role their faith plays in their work.

Abigail Baird spoke about how important it is for young
professionals to develop their own values and goals.“No one will draw
boundaries for you when it comes to work. It is ultimately up to you to find
your balance in life,” she said.

The speakers urged students to take advantage of the many
networking options available to them. “With networking websites and online job
boards there is no reason not to get yourself out there and cast your potential
employer net as wide as possible,” explained Greg Karr, “I actually mailed out
resumes during my last semester of college and there was little thought behind
it. Nowadays you can be more intentional about who you connect with.”

Senior Naama Mendes, an economics and international affairs
double major, says, “It was refreshing to see the many vocational possibilities
out there for Gordon students.”

The success of the event in connecting students with alumni
was undeniable, but both groups expressed a desire for more events of this
nature. “This event is a great starting block, but there needs to be other
events throughout the year as well,” said Peter Holt.

This marks the third Career Services alumni networking event
held in Boston. Peter Bayreuther, Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent
Relations, said Gordon hopes to organize more in the future to offer current
students expanded connections with the alumni.

Pam Lazarakis, Director of Career Services, reflected
positively on the evening: “Alumni and student networking is invaluable. There
is a wonderful alumni contribution to students, who benefit in building
confidence for employers and learning the skills necessary to get a job.”

DeWayne Davenport, creative brain at DC Group, commented, “I
love being a part of a community that can give back to students. I have an
affinity for wanting to help people that went to the same school as me, and see
our presence in the Boston area grow.”

Blogger: Mac Gostow ’13. Mac is a communication arts major from California and a student writer in the Office of College Communications at Gordon College. With a double minor in business administration and sociology, Mac has interned for CBS News in New York City, is a founder of ScotRadio, performs with theSweaty Tooth Madmen improv troupe, and served as a show host for KURadyo in Istanbul, Turkey.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

“The U.S. is losing its ethical bearings. From the Clinton
scandal up to the Baseball Hall of Fame steroid problem, we see examples of
corruption in our country.”

Marshall N. Carter commanded the attention of the
presidential fellows over lunch in the President’s Dining Room at Gordon during
his short trip to campus last Tuesday. Carter, a candid and confident man, is
the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange Group and frequently speaks with
students and professionals about leadership in a complex and quickly developing
world.

Carter’s varied experience in military, medicinal and
financial sectors has instilled in him a thorough knowledge of leadership. He
served as a U.S. Marine officer in Vietnam, chaired the board of directors at
Boston Medical Center for eight years, and was CEO of the State Street Bank and
Trust company in Boston for nine years. The fields differed, but the vital
leadership characteristics remained constant: technical competency, ability to
communicate, and adaptability.

“A leader is a catalyst that provides direction and energy
to achieve his ends,” said Carter. “This involves a careful, balanced
charisma.”

Friday, March 1, 2013

As any student will tell you, there is no substitute for firsthand experience in a desired career field. For Gordon students interested in politics and international relations, Model United Nations (MUN) offers an unparalleled immersion in real-world diplomacy.

Recently, 18 Gordon student delegates represented the country of Tunisia at the 2013 Harvard National Model United Nations conference in Boston. The event brought together 3,500 college students from around the world for a four-day conference that simulates the United Nations. During the conference, delegates work together to form policies and draft resolutions that they vote on during the final assembly.

The 18 Gordon delegates collaborated with Paul Brink, associate professor of political science, in a 2-credit MUN class from November to February. They spent the first month researching their country, and then drafted proposals during winter break. The culmination of their work was presented during the MUN conference.